Southgate resigns as England manager after Euro 2024 final defeat
THE GUARDIAN – Gareth Southgate has announced he has stepped down as England’s manager after eight years. The Football Association had hoped he would extend his contract after he led the team to the final of Euro 2024 but Southgate has decided to seek a new challenge.
“As a proud Englishman, it has been the honour of my life to play for England and to manage England,” Southgate said. “It has meant everything to me, and I have given it my all. But it’s time for change, and for a new chapter. Sunday’s final in Berlin against Spain was my final game as England manager.”
The 53-year-old is England’s most successful manager in terms of consistent major tournament performance. England also reached the European Championship final in 2021, losing to Italy, and a World Cup semi-final in 2018, when they were beaten by Croatia. In his other World Cup, the team were eliminated by France in the quarter-finals.
Newcastle’s Eddie Howe, the former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter and the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel are near the top of the FA’s shortlist to succeed Southgate. England’s next fixtures are against the Republic of Ireland and Finland in the Nations League in September.
“The squad we took to Germany is full of exciting young talent and they can win the trophy we all dream of,” Southgate said.
Southgate spent much of the Euros under huge pressure after poor England performances in the group stage and in the last 16 against Slovakia. He had empty beer cups thrown at him and boos directed at him after England drew 0-0 with Slovenia in their final group match.
After the Slovenia game Southgate said he understood “the narrative towards me” but that it was “creating an unusual environment to operate in”.
Southgate took charge of England, initially on a caretaker basis, in September 2016 after Sam Allardyce’s sudden departure. He had indicated he thought his time would be up if England did not win in Germany.
Other candidates in the FA’s thinking are likely to include the former Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino, Lee Carsley, the England Under-21 manager, and the former England internationals Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.